Vehicle-wheel.



PATENTED OCT. 22, 1907. S. 0 MOORE & G. G. FREEMAN.

VEHICLE WHEEL. uArPmog'ggron 211.21) MAB. 1. 1907.

- suns o. noonrc lino CHARLES o.

FREEMALI, 0h OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

vnnrorln-wmnrl.

No. assess.

Applies tion filed March 1,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that Suns C. Moons and CHARLES C.

FREEMAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-\v'heels, of which the iollowing is a specification. p P

This inventionrelates to improvements in vehicle wheels, oi'tho class particularly adapted for use upon automobiles, and has for its object the presentation of nqeansgl'or preventing vibration of the axle when passing over obstructions, and thereby to dispense with the air-cushion tire.

, The imiention includes the use of a series of springs preferably of metal formed somewhat like an archers bow secured end-to-end within an annular groove formed in the inner face of the tire, each bow spring being connected midway of its length to a radiallydisposed spring-spoke, thereby sustaining the entire weight of the vehicle upon these springs, for the purposes named. Q t

The invention has referencev to the employment of metal spokes formed as thin plates or blades preferably tapered toward their outer ends and adapted to have a springing movement in directions radial to the wheel from force con'inuinicated from external sources, asthe sudden stop-or-start movement of the vehicle or the passage over obstructions, at which time the springing movement of the spokes conduces to the resilient movement of the bowsprings.

It is consider d that the invention may be economically constructed, and the mounting of the parts is such that any single part may be readily removed, if desired, without dismernbering the wheel, and certain devices are therefore shown which we consider the best; construction, for this purpose, and for the convenient assemblage of theparts.

The invention consists of the arrangement and con1- bination of parts fully described herein and in the appended claims, and illustrated in the drawing, whorei ii i Figure represents a vertical lace view of one of the series of blade-spokes, as on line a b of Fig. 2 looking to the left; also showing the tire, hub and spokeengagingplates in section, as on said line (i b, and showing the inner face of a part of a bow'spring and pivotal mounting of the latter in the tire; this 'figurc also illustrates tlldprel'crrcd construction of devices to preserve the aliuenumt oi the spokes within the vertical plane of the bow-springs; Fig. 2. is a vertical side View oi a vehicle wheel constructed according to our invention. Fig. (1 is a broken-away figure toillustrate the mounting ot spokes in the hub and. between the engaging-plates, Fig t is. detail relating to l igs l, and 2, to show liulhhonsiug guidoarru tor the alining Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented at. as, 1907. 1907. summations. 4

1 Referring now tothe drawing for a More particular description, the numeral 1 indicate the Hub and 2 the tire of a vehicle, 3 indicating n outer" covering for the tire, We employ radially-disposed spokes 4 preferablyhaving shanks 5 with threaded connections I for their seatings in the hub; these spokes are formed outwardly tapering to provide comparatively thin but broad and resilient blade-spokes 6, their bread faces being presented at rightanglcs to the plane of whecl'7, and in order that they may be thus positioned at all times we employ oppositcly disposed lugs 8 formed in pairs upon the inner faces of the verticallydisposed spoke-engaging plates 9 and 10, and as each spoke has a seating between each pair of lugs 8 upon platcs and 10, .any vibration of the wheel or possible loosening of the threaded parts 5 will not cause any their normal position closely adjacent to the sfpolres by means of screw-rings 11 upon the hub. r

We employ a series of resilient springs 12 preferably of metal, and formed substantially as an archers bowpresented within the plane of the wheel, and having their ends 13 preferably coiled about and secured by pins 14, the latter transversely traversing tire 2 and the annular recess of groove14' formed in the inner face of tire 2. As thus constructed and mounted springs 12 have a normal. position substantially as shown in Fig. 2

and are adapted to have a spring-like movement toward the tire or toward the hub from any suflicient engaging force applied to said springs.

adapted tc ave a bearing upon, substantially, the cenwardly-cxtcnding port as pins 16, and it will be underupon the end uf'each spoke 6, as by nut 17, the letter also sccuring other partspresently to be explained. Since the innermost part or'the middle 01' eachspring springs 12 upon the lowerpart of the wheel to be contracted in a direction toward the tire, at which time springs 12 at the upper part of the wheel will be drawn or extended in a direction from the tire, and therefore any sudden vibration of said wheel, as when passing over an obstruction, wilLbe largely prevented. The hub, according to this construction is suspended or hold at all times at or imm'edintely below the center of the wheel, and sudden or excessive shocks or vibxw lions will be first received upon the springs, thereby preventing or reducing vibration of the hub. it will be trexno upper and lower parts of the wheel will have n certain degree of movement in common with other i springs 12, and if spokes 6 were constructed non-resiliturning of these spokes. Plates 9 and 10 are held to equally distanced from the hub or center of the wheel,

The outer ends of spokes (i areiorrned with heads 15 tor of springs 12, and are each iorrncd with an outl 12 is secured to a spoke 6, as described, it is evident that a downward movement oi the hub will cause noted that springs 12 located degrees from the ex-t ill) stood that each spring 12 is secured upon one of pins-'16 roe are I out, their rigidity would largely prevent this effect; therefore, spokes b are formed as plul having a dr' gree oi attenuity sufficient to permit them to bend at this time in order that spokes (5 may be held within the vertical plane of springs l2, alining rods LS are seer ed upon the inner lace oi tire 2 a nd one oi these rods pusses closely adjacent to each spring 1?, mid extended inwardly oi the Wheel in a manner to puss adjacent to and parallel with a part of the outer end 01' each oi spokes Upon each pin 16 is mounted the end 19 of guide-arm 20, the outer end 2l ol' the latter being provided with an inner annular chamber 22 adapted to contain balls 23, said balls contacting with rod 18. Guides 20 are held rigidly adjacent to the inner lace of springs 12 by means oi nuts 17 already mentioned, and Washers 24 are preferably used between each end 19 of the guidearms and springs 12 so that guides 20 will not make contact with these springs; as thus arranged, rods 18 are disposed radially and extend a part of the length of spokes G; and in operation arms 20 pass inwardly and outwardly oi the wheel when the vehicle passes over uneye'n surfaces or obstructions, rods 18 tending to pre-' serve a we "cal alinement of the spokes and spi'ingslfl, and this feature is considered especially u'seitil'when driving at any considerable speed. Springs 12 would operate, 0i course,-to prevent vibration of the hub, to a certain extent, whether or not spokes I were resilient, but such is not considered the be .t construction. Heavy or light Weight springs 12 may be used according to the uses reduired for the wheel, and it is considered best that springs 6 should be correspondingly varied in degree of attenuity.

It Will be noted that shanks 5 of the spokes are/protected from severe strains; lugs 8 provide a reliable holding means for the spokes at points between the threaded seatings oi'these spokes in the hub and their resilient outer ends, thereby in a large measure protecting the threaded ends from breakage.

\Yhat nclaim as our invention is,--

1. A vehicle wheel comprising a huh; a tire having an annnlui' "were formed Within its inner wall; a series 01 ru li:i.ll;'- sposed spokes secured upon the hub and extending a part of the distance between the hub and the; a series of hoiwshupe l springs secured end-to-entl within said annular groore 01' the tire 'und extended within the plane of the w eel to :1 seating upon said radially-disposed spokes. I

2. A vehicle wheel comprising a hub; a tire having an annular groove formed within its inner wall; :1 series of resiliently-formed radially-disposed spokes secured upon the hub and extending a part of the distance between the hub and tire; a series of bow-shaped springs secured endmend within said annular groove of the tire and extended within the plane of the wheel to a seating upon said re- SillBDiLlX-IOI'DICd, radially-disposed spokes.

34 In combination, a vehicle wheel as described, cont prising a hub; a tire having an annular groove formed in its inner wall; radially-disposed spokes secured upon the hub, each of said radially-disposed spokes formed out \vardly tapering and having a terminal 'end between the hub and lil'e; howshupcd sprin shaving their ends secured in the annular groove of the tire and extended within the plume or the wheel to a seating; upon the terminal ends of said radially-disposed spokes; guides secured centrally upon said bow-shaped spring radiallydisposod Mining-rodssecured upon the tire and extended within the plnne ol the wheel to a Contact with said guides upon said how-shaped sprin and passingbeyond the terminal ends ol d rudinlly-(lisposerl spokes,

ln testimony \vht-reol' we have :rlnxed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

SlhAS (J. MOORE. enru'urns c FREEMAN Witnesses 1 lLl5.ll1uuixs,

JAMES RI'LUDES. 

